HYDERABAD:
C. P. Raghupathi, Regional Joint Commissioner of Endowments, Telangana, who was posted recently following retirement of L. Venkatachary, was shifted on Saturday evening, the Temple Protection Committee said here on Saturday. Leaders of the committee expressed shock at the development, as Mr. Raghupathi was brought in to look into alleged irregularities in appointments made during the stint of his predecessors.

In a statement on Saturday, the leaders described Mr. Raghupathi as a "sincere" officer. They attributed the transfer to the pressure exerted by lobbyists who wanted to protect the officers responsible for making the "irregular" appointments in temples across the State.